Do you have any doubts about the medical care that was provided to you or a loved one? If so, you’re not alone. Each day, patients throughout Ohio and across the country are victims of medical malpractice. Medical negligence occurs when healthcare providers provide care that is below accepted standards in the medical community and it leads to injury, unnecessary suffering or death. Medical malpractice can result from an action taken or from failure to take action. In some cases, medical errors are indisputable, but things are not always so cut and dry. Below are 5 of the most common types of medical malpractice cases in Ohio.

1.     Misdiagnosis

Misdiagnosis occurs when an incorrect diagnosis delays treatment or results in improper treatment. Death is the most common consequence of misdiagnosis. Conditions that are frequently misdiagnosed include cancer, heart attacks, bone fractures, ectopic pregnancy, and appendicitis.

2.     Drug errors

Drug errors happen when patients are given the wrong medication or the incorrect dosage. Receiving medication in the wrong form or place or at the wrong time is also considered a drug error. Drug errors often result when a nurse or pharmacist reads a doctor’s illegible handwriting incorrectly. Drug errors also occur when medication is administered to the wrong patient.

3.     Delayed care

Delayed care occurs when a doctor fails to respond to test results, refer for treatment at an early stage, or prescribe medication at an early stage. If medical treatment is unnecessarily or unreasonably delayed, it could lead to the worsening of a medical condition, additional injury, or death.

4.     Surgical mistakes

All surgical procedures come with risks and complications, but surgical errors go beyond accepted risks. The complications of surgical mistakes can be devastating. Surgical errors may include incorrect incisions, anesthesiology errors, and nerve damage. Fatigue, incompetence, inadequate preoperative planning, and miscommunication are common causes of surgical errors.

5.     Failure to obtain consent

Doctors must ensure that patients are properly and fully informed about their treatment, so they can decide for themselves whether the benefits of a procedure outweigh the risks. Patients are also required to sign a consent form after all of the risks of treatment have been discussed with them. Failure to obtain consent occurs when patients aren’t given enough information to make informed decisions about their treatment.

If you think you’ve been the victim of medical malpractice and want to find answers to your questions, talk with a medical malpractice lawyer in Ohio. The insurance industry and doctors’ lobbying groups have spent millions trying to give medical malpractice plaintiffs and lawyers a bad name, but the truth is that frivolous cases in which a healthy patient successfully sues an innocent doctor are extremely rare. Studies have shown that most people who are injured due to medical negligence are never compensated and only 2% of all injured people file legal claims for compensation. If you’re thinking about going forward with a medical malpractice lawsuit, contact our medical malpractice lawyers in Columbus, Ohio today to set up a free consultation.